Josey Ranch – December 2023
/I took a walk around the larger pond and small garden at Josey Ranch a week ago.
The first birds I noticed were cormorants – very active on the water (finding fish) and in the air.
Most of the ruddy ducks were snoozing…bobbing in the water.
A group of buffleheads were fishing….then spent a lot of time preening.
There were several coots
And I was thrilled when one of them came up onto the bank and I was close enough get good images of their feet! They are so unusual.
The scaups are around but not in as large numbers as last year.
The resident swans were asleep on the back as they have been every time I have visited recently. Are they elderly swans?
There were a few late flowers in the small garden; there has not been a hard frost in Carrollton yet.
Where are the northern shovelers? Maybe they are still further north? Usually they are present at Josey Ranch by November…but not this year.
